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On April 24 Minister of National Defence and representatives of the Government of Lithuania paid a visit to Brussels where the delegation of the Government of Lithuania attended meetings with representatives of the European Commission and the European Parliament and President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy.

At the meetings Minister Olekas underlined Lithuania’s position that the European Union should aim at becoming an increasingly important security provider beyond its borders, first and foremost in its neighbourhood. According to the Lithuanian Defence Minister, Lithuania will place a special emphasis on CSDP cooperation with the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries during its term of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

J. Olekas spotlighted security risks still present in the region, including inter-ethnic tensions and unresolved territorial disputes. “Indeed, any future conflict in the EaP area will have a direct effect on the European Union. The EU therefore has no other option but to engage in the region with all the instruments at its disposal, including in the CSDP area,” Minister Olekas said.

The key strands of work Lithuania will propose as the host of the EU Presidency with an aim to take forward EU’s security and defence cooperation with the EaP countries include: possibilities to launch a Trust Fund to support the participation of the representatives of the EaP countries in CSDP training activities; encouragement of expert level contacts and exchanges with the security and defence establishments of the EaP countries; a high-level seminar on CSDP cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries planned to take place in Vilnius this summer.

At the meeting with President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy the Lithuanian Defence Minister conveyed once again Lithuania’s intention to see the meeting of the European Council in November in Vilnius reaffirm EU’ ambition to act as a security provider in our neighbourhood (both Eastern and Southern).

When addressing the upcoming strategic discussion on CSDP at the European Council in the meeting with the President of the European Council Minister Olekas also emphasised that in seeking an enhanced role in the international security arena the EU Heads of States should discuss EU’s strategic security priorities and provide guidelines on EU’s response to the emerging security challenges, in such areas as maritime, cyber and energy security.

As it was proposed by President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, defence issues have been included into the agenda of the European Council for 2013 highlighting the fact that the shifting international security environment requires a strategic-level discussion regarding further CSDP cooperation of the EU member states.

The EU Presidency will rotate from Ireland to Lithuania this July. Lithuania’s priorities for the EU Presidency period aimed at strengthening the EU Common Security and Defence Policy include an intensified cooperation with the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries in security and defence sector and developing military dimension of energy security with an aim to include the two points into the CSDP. Lithuania will also focus on promoting a bigger role of the EU in ensuring international security, developing the EU Battlegroups, supporting the EU’s contribution to multinational operations, and promoting a closer and a more coordinated NATO-EU cooperation in the area of international security.